Detailed review of Samsung Galaxy Buds

Pinnacle audio in the compact

Samsung Galaxy Buds is one of the wireless headphones that is directly competing with the top position of AirPods (Apple) in the market. Samsung Galaxy Buds / Buds Plus, the duo and the two previous generations of Gear IconX have expanded this wireless headset market share.

However, the biggest difference between the Galaxy Buds and IconX is that the earbuds actually become part of the Samsung ecosystem alongside the new premium Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10 Plus and Galaxy S10e phones. The three products have functions that directly support Buds (more on that later).

So, if you think long enough, you should consider Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus - an affordable high-end headset, using a dual driver design that delivers vibrant sound and up to 11 hours of battery life. Continuous use for each charge.

Rumor has it that a new version of Galaxy Buds is about to be released. The headset (also known as Galaxy BudsX) is seen at a Galaxy Club website of a Dutch technology application firm.

However, the traditional Galaxy Buds duo still deserve attention, especially as Samsung continually invests new innovations in this product category. New updates available on the Galaxy Wearable app include noise filtering mode, compatible with the new Swift Pair feature on Windows 10, increasing the connection speed with your computer.

Price and market

The Samsung Galaxy Buds headset was launched on March 8, 2019 for $ 149, which is a little cheaper than Apple's AirPods.

If you pre-order the Samsung Galaxy S10, S10 Plus or S10e, you will have a chance to get a free pair of Galaxy Buds, but unfortunately, this promotion is only valid until March 7 or when the promotional stock is out of stock.

Design

Overall, the design of the Samsung Galaxy Buds looks incredibly appealing, with solid monolithic tones that stand out from the headset to the case.

Part headset is designed very smoothly and gently with rubber buttons certainly. A set of headphones will include rubber buttons of different sizes (small, medium and large) so you can easily find yourself the most comfortable combination.

From the outside, the headphones may look loose and likely to come off, but they're actually very solid and comfortable to use.

Removing two strings means that the headset will stay surprisingly comfortable in your ear despite all the head swings. They are also tested in the gym, when jogging as well as many other strong physical activities.

Another noteworthy aspect of the design is that the Buds use pearl material that covers the earpiece, causing them to reflect light and create a rainbow-like effect. In addition to providing a beautiful design, the overlay acts as a control sensor, which can be used to play / pause music, transfer tracks, pick up and hang calls, or to call the virtual assistant Bixby. on compatible devices.

You can customize the hold of the headset via Samsung's Galaxy Wearable app (for Android devices only), volume (increase on the right, decrease on the left) or call Bixby (hold and hold at any ear). Samsung Galaxy Buds has updated the Bixby hands-free calling mode via voice, plus improved touch control and the ability to filter noise wherever you are.

Touch controls are extremely convenient, but the operation must be accurate, touching just enough force on the flattest part of the headset so they can understand your commands. Sometimes just typing in the wrong place or not enough force also makes us have to manipulate it many times.

If sitting in a seat had such inconveniences, when moving or not hands-free is a big problem, such as when you are exercising or jogging. Fortunately, that will quickly disappear after you get used to it (it will be very fast) and it actually works more smoothly even though there is no proven 100% success rate.

Samsung Galaxy Buds box

Now comes with an outer box, extremely compact, easy to pocket when out.

If you've ever used Samsung Gear IconX, you will find that the entire product has been greatly reduced compared to the latest generation of headphones. In fact, the size of the Buds is less than 30% and it certainly feels different when you put it in your pocket.

The carrying case feels very solid, has a collapsible joint and a magnet keeps the headset in place when not in use.

There is a small LED on the outside of the case that indicates the battery life of the case, and the inner LED dot indicates the remaining power of the headset.

The USB-C charging port is on the back of the case. The headset itself will have about 6 hours of battery life, the case will add about 7 hours of use - relatively good for a wireless headset.

The Galaxy Wearable app can tell you how much battery the headset has when out of the case, but not the percentage of the battery left in the case, different from the AirPods. Instead, you have to rely entirely on the LED signal to know the remaining battery life.

One of the best features is the Galaxy Buds that allow wireless charging. This means the headset is compatible with whatever wireless charging device you have. This is extremely useful if used in conjunction with the new Galaxy S10 series product capable of two-way wireless charging. You just need to install this feature on the Galaxy S10 phone and put the headset close to the phone, they can automatically charge. An extremely smart and proven way to work perfectly in a short time.

Features and performance

Owning a Samsung Galaxy S10, S10 Plus or S10e, plus a pair of Buds headphones is just as perfect as the iPhone and AirPods duo.

Connectivity will be very different among users, many have tried this product, some with extremely smooth experiences, others encounter interruptions quite often.

Most connectivity problems will improve with the update, but like other wireless products, your connection may be interrupted if you are near other Bluetooth devices. Since the last update, this phenomenon has almost never happened.

Compared to Samsung's previous wireless headphones - the Gear IconX bomb, the Galaxy Buds shines brighter, with warm, well-separated bass, and music that sounds more impressive through this small device. It is not too surprising to know that they were evaluated by AKG audio experts.

Through Radiohead's 'Daydreaming', Buds truly impresses with the detail and clarity heard in every voice, as well as the piano accompaniment or smooth transitions.

However, it wasn't until the Galaxy Buds' bass that truly shone, which can be clearly seen when you listen to Billie Eilish's' Bury A Friend '. With music like this, you can clearly feel the deep beats from the chest - quite rare in wireless headphones.

Buds were also experimented with the soundtrack of the Fez game, composed by Disasterpiece. With this track, Galaxy Buds impressed with the way it handled the lively sound, from dazzling sound to soothing melodies.

In the end, if you like listening to music with lots of bass, Galaxy Buds is perfect. Of course, they will not be comparable to the earphones, but with the wireless product line, the sound quality is quite impressive.

Samsung Galaxy Buds application

Some of the other functions found in the Galaxy Wearable app include an equalizer filter (EQ - Equalizer), which allows you to switch between audio frequencies, including Bass Boost / Bass Boost. This self-correction doesn't have too much impact on the sound quality of the headphones, but it's worth a try anyway.

Through the app you can turn on the audio / ambient sound mode that  is set to filter out external noises when you need to talk via headphones - this is a pretty useful function when running or when you need to hear something. important. This function can also reduce traffic noise but still turn out loud sounds, which helps to drive more safely while not affecting your enjoyment of music.

Although this is a convenient function, it has some problems in windy weather. The sound of the wind will sometimes produce screeching sounds in the ear, which is a bit uncomfortable.

If you forgot the Galaxy Buds somewhere, the Find My Earbuds feature will help you. The headset will make a cry for help you find it easily.

summary

It seems that with the Galaxy Buds this time, Samsung has done a great job. They directly compete with Apple's AirPods in terms of design, sound quality and performance. Light sensation outside the headset and the horizontal design of the box bring a sense of luxury and certainty.

The sound quality is really remarkable, with deep bass, wide sound area; However, for users who love natural sound processing, Galaxy Buds are still at an acceptable level.

Battery life of 6 hours for headphones and 7 hours for the case is no exaggeration. The previous connection error seems to have been corrected from the latest Samsung software update.

The weakness of this line of headphones is that useful functions like audio / ambient sound filter and blow / equalizer filter  sometimes still not work as smoothly as expected. The difference for users of iOS operating system is that you only need a device using Android OS version 5.0 or higher to be able to download this application easily.

All in all, if you own a Samsung phone, the Galaxy Buds is a perfect wireless headset, the features it offers stand out in its class. If those things still don't convince you, the top-notch sound quality, the fit to wear, and the stylish, affordable design is probably enough to keep the iOS crowd in mind.